Snowed In
by Debz92
Summary: Calleigh and Eric, Snowed in, Stuck in a cabin together. Alone. Hiphuggers
1. Chapter 1

"What do you supposed Stetler hopes to accomplish from this? It's not as if we can be an even stronger team than we already are." Calleigh stared out the window, their mountain destination loomed in front of them.

"Calleigh!" Eric threw her an exasperated glance "A team can always be stronger. Besides, just look at as a company paid vacation."

Calleigh continued staring out the window, she made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a harrumph. Eric tried to lighten her mood, "Hey, at least you got to ride with me." His teasing smile beamed and he waggled his eyebrows.

She glanced over and tried to fight the grin forming, by pursing her lips, but the grin won out. "How _did_ I get so lucky?"

"Well... Ryan and Natalia are testifying in court, so they won't be up til' later."

"How'd Walter end up riding with Horatio?"

Eric shot her another grin. "I got first pick"

Light snow started to fall when they reached the base of the mountain. They stopped at a grocery store and stocked up on supplies for the weekend. Eric double checked the directions to the cabin, and was told to 'turn right at the old tucker place'. The CSI's exchanged amused glances.

Half an hour later, groceries tucked in the back of the Humber, next to the packed duffel bags. After about ten minutes, they'd made a right at what they hoped was 'the old tucker place'. Eric pulled the Humber in front of something neither of them suspected. The snowfall had picked up drastically and the ground crunched under their feet ad they exited the Humber.

"Wow!" To say they were surprised was an under-statement.

"I'll say" They were speechless

They stood next to the back of the Humber, looking up at the structure whose only resemblance to a cabin is the fact that it was made of wood.

Two storey's tall, with windows galore. A porch wrapped around the entire house, and each of the upstairs bedrooms had french doors that lead out to it's own balcony. There was a path to the right of the house, which Calleigh discovered led to a lake a quarter of a mile away. A couple of chimney's sprouted from the roof.

"Shall we go inside? It's freezing. I'm certainly already missing the Miami weather." Calleigh smiled at Eric as she rubbed her hands together to create some warmth.

"Let's go." Eric replied as he chuckled, thinking Calleigh looked adorable with her rosy red cheeks from the cold. She hurried up the steps to the front door, turned the handle when she realised it was locked. She turned around to find Eric taking his time coming up the steps with the key.

When he got there, the slipped the key in the lock and turned the door handle. He let the door swing open. the inside looked nothing like any of the cabins Eric had been in with his family, when they went of family vacations when he was little. A deep-set living room greeted them to the left and at the end of the entryway, a wide staircase led up to the bedrooms. They made their way through the house.

"Are you sure we're at the right place?" Calleigh asked as she peered around a corner and found a games room, with a pool table, over-stuffed red sectional sofa faced a huge fire place.

"The key wouldn't have worked, if we weren't" Eric stated from just behind her.

"I can't imagine Stetler paying for all of this"

"Me neither, Lets go pick out the best bedroom" He turned and headed back towards the front door.

"Rooms" Calleigh said exaggerating the plural.

"What?" Eric asked, sounding like we was already back in the front hall.

"Bed Rooms." Calleigh repeated, again emphasising the 'S' on the end of the word.

"Wow!"

"You can say that again"

"Wow!" Eric smiled at his own joke, Calleigh moved her eyes over towards him, then rolled them.

They each stepped further into the bedroom that had amazed them. A king-size sleigh bed was nestled against the furthest wall from the door. A peacock coloured comforter draped the bed, looking very comfortable and inviting. A mound of throw pillows topped the bed. Calleigh looked around, and noticed this room too had its own fire place and television. A door next to the balcony's french doors, lead to the bathroom, and Calleigh walked in to find to sunken tub with Jacuzzi jets, and large, very soft towels that was just a shade lighter than the comforter. She left the bathroom and returned to the bedroom just in time to see Eric heft his duffel bag of clothes and toss it on the mattress.

"Mine" He claimed.

"Just like that?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yep" He followed the duffel bag and dove on to the bed. Rolling on to his side, he propped his head up with one arm. "What? You'd rather someone else have this room?"

She relented. "No. Guess not."

"Come on" He sat up, then stood. "Let's go claim your bedroom."

Calleigh looked at her watch "Shouldn't the others be getting here soon?"

"You missing Ryan?"

"Actually" She thought about it for a moment. "No. No I'm not."

The next bedroom was done in Eggplant and Cream. While it was a double-sized, not a king. it did have it's own fire place, balcony and private bathroom. Calleigh didn't need to look any further. She set her bag down just inside the bedroom door. "Mine" she repeated Eric's declaration.

Eric smiled in the doorway. "OK" He glanced at his watch, then ran one hand over his stomach. "It's getting a little late. Let's get dinner started, have it ready when everyone else gets here."

They went back down stairs and out the front door to retrieve the groceries. During their tour of the house, the snowfall had doubled, the Humber was nearly covered.

Calleigh hugged herself as she hurried to the Humber and tugged out the bag of groceries. "What?" she asked as she loaded his arms with bags.

Walking back inside, he said "Worried about them making it up the hill. Come on. I got the stuff for my world famous spaghetti."

Eric dumped a box of pasta into the pot of boiling water, then stirred the tomato sauce. Calleigh slipped the salad into the fridge to chill. "Eric, I'm starting to get a little worried." Calleigh sipped from her glass of red wine.

"Me too, maybe..." He stopped when Calleigh's phone rang.

She removed it from her pocket and glanced at the screen. "It's Horatio." She told him before she answered it. "Horatio" Static filled her ear, with broken bits of clear signal that cut his words in half. Putting her finger in her other ear, Calleigh stepped closer to the back door. "You're breaking up"

Eric stirred the sauce and leaned against the counter, sipping his own glass of wine.

"Yeah, It's snowing here too." She listened for a moment "A hotel? You're in a hotel?" Another pause "Yeah. OK." She moved her phone away from her ear and walked back into the kitchen. "They're stuck about 30 miles from here. Snow's made the roads impassable."

Eric nodded. "I was afraid of that. If they checked the weather before they left, Ryan and Natalia probably haven't even left Miami."

"This is really good, Eric" Calleigh wound spaghetti round her fork "How'd you ever learn to cook like this?"

"My mom taught me. She said I needed to know to cook, so she taught me. I gotta tell ya, I've never made it without meat before."

She smiled, as she chewed and swallowed the bit. "It's a good skill to have."

Once they finished, Calleigh started stacking the dishes and carried them into the kitchen.

With only two of them for dinner, not the six they'd cooked for, there were plenty of left-overs. Calleigh found a plastic wrap and packed up the food, while Eric loaded the dishwasher. They were quiet as they worked, each lost in their own thoughts.

When the kitchen was clean, Eric tossed a dish towel on to the counter. "I think I saw a DVD player in the games room, up for a movie?"

Calleigh nodded. "A comedy, I think."

"Sounds good."

The Games room had a chill in the air, and Calleigh grabbed a knitted wool throw off the couch, wrapping it round her shoulders. "Go ahead and pick out a movie, I'll get a fire going." Eric told her as he kneeled down in front of the large fire place and started piling twigs for kindling.

Calleigh perused the titles. "How 'bout _The Philadelphia Story_?"

Eric struck a match and held it up to some crumpled newspaper. "That would be OK. I don't think I've seen that one."

"Really?" Calleigh smiled widely. "It's a wonderful movie." She opened the case and pulled the disc out. "You know... I've always though you resembled Cary Grant a little."

Eric looked at her stunned, then cocked an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Sure" Calleigh walked over and sunk herself into the sofa. "Suave, gentlemanly, although different accent."

"Hey, lay off my Cuban accent" He laid it on more thickly than usual and sat next to her on the couch. She took the throw from around her shoulders and laid it over both of their laps. It wasn't long before the combination of the wine, the fire and the cinematic equivalent of comfort food. Calleigh soon became warm and very cosy, she found herself snuggling up to Eric, resting her head on his shoulder.

With the closing credits rolling, Calleigh reached for the remote and turned off the TV. "Did you like it?"

"Yeah, I did" he said in a decent Cary Grant imitation, then stretched, and looked at his watch. "wow, past my bedtime."

"Your bedtime is 9 o'clock in the morning?" Calleigh teased "But it _is _late"

"Come on" He stood and held his hand out for her to take. "I'll walk you home" Eric smirked.

Calleigh woke suddenly, disorientation overcame her for just a moment, she wasn't sure where she was, or why she'd woken up. Then she remembered, she was in a cabin. Eric was in the next room, but what had woken her up. Then she heard it again, Eric screamed.

She tossed the covers aside and jumped out of bed, nearly stumbling from how quickly she moved. She threw the bedroom door open and running to his bedroom door, she didn't bother to knock. When she saw him tossing and turning, covered in sweat. she had no doubt, what his nightmares were about.

"Eric!" She called out, trying to wake him up. He was tossing around on the bed, clutching the comforter in his tightly clenched fists. She crawled up on the bed next to him, still calling his name, grabbed his shoulders and began to shake him. "Eric, Honey, wake up, you've got to wake up!" He suddenly settled and slowly opened his eyes. Calleigh stopped shaking him, she sat back on her heels, and swallowed hard. She recognised the same disorientation she'd just experienced in his eyes as he glanced around the room. "It's OK, you're alright." He sat up, rested against the headboard, and rubbed his hands over his face. After a few moments, she asked "Do you dream about it a lot?"

He sighed heavily and dropped his hands in his lap. "I did for a while. They kind of faded away. They just started coming back again. He buried his face in his hands, and cried.

"Oh, Sweetie." Calleigh whispered and scooted up the bed, gathering him in her arms. She rocked him gently, rested her chin on his head, trying to soothe him. Kissed his forehead. His skin was warm and her lips were soft. Calleigh was as surprised at herself as Eric was. His crying stopped and he pulled away from her just enough to be able to look at her.

Their eyes locked, and then suddenly their lips were on each others.


	2. Chapter 2

_Oh my god_

Calleigh opened her eyes and had two realisations at the same time. The first was that she wasn't in her room. The second was the warm body pressed against her back.

_Oh my god_

It hadn't been a dream.

She'd had dreams about Eric before. Ever since he got shot, they had got closer. Not that they weren't close before but since he had been shot and she nearly lost him. She had been developing some feelings towards him.

But, she had to admit to herself, as she soaked in the warmth of his arms wrapped around her waist, the dream version had nothing on reality. For the first time in a very long time, Calleigh Duquesne had no urge to run.

"Mornin'." His voice in her ear, thick with sleep, and she couldn't help but notice his accent was a little heavier too.

"How'd you know I was awake?" She whispered, her own southern accent also thick with sleep. She whispered, wanting to keep the spell that had covered them like the thick comforter. She brushed her fingertips up and down his forearm that lay over her hip.

"Your breathing " His breath brushed against her cheek "Are you..." He stopped, not knowing the right words "What do..." What the hell was wrong with him, he wondered. He'd never had problems talking to any woman before, let alone one he'd just had sex with. But this wasn't just any woman, this was Calleigh, and being with her had been like coming home. "Any regrets?"

Calleigh sighed deeply, and without being able to see the expression on her face, he had no idea if it was a good sigh or a bad one. His heart began to pound hard.

"None." She told him, the smiled a little to herself when she felt his body relax. She moved, craned her neck so she could see his face. "You?"

There was no pause this time, no deep breath, no consideration. "Nope. I'm actually wondering why we didn't do this a long time ago."

She laugh at that, and moved her body, facing him completely. Eric adjusted his arms around her, pulling her closer. Her face was buried in his neck, he could smell the sweetness of her shampoo.

"So now what?" He asked, watching pieces of her hair dance from his breath.

"Well, I say we stay in bed all day. I'm comfortable right here. So maybe sleep, have more fun, sleep some more." Calleigh replied moving away just far enough to see his face, smirking at him.

She felt his chuckle vibrate through his chest. "As much as I like the sound of that, I don't really like the thought of H and Walter walking in on us."

Calleigh sat up quickly "Oh my gosh." she looked down at Eric to see him smirking at her. "I _completely_ forgot about them."

"Well, thank god for that" he relaxed into the pillows; bent his elbows and put his hands underneath his head.

She slapped Eric on the chest and laughed. "I'm serious, Eric." She climbed out of bed and moved around to the window. Pulling the curtain back, she peeked out. "Oh my!" She heard the shuffling of the sheets and a moment later felt him behind her.

Eric looked out the window, then covered her hand with his own, moving the curtains opening the wider. "Wow. That's a lot of snow."

Overnight, The earth had turned white. The ground, the trees, everything was covered in what looked like a foot of snow. The sun was out, but Calleigh could tell the snow that was melting was turning into ice.

The sight mesmerised Calleigh. "It's so beautiful."

He snaked an arm around her waist and kissed her temple, "Looks like we're gonna be alone for a while" he moved his mouth a little lower and kissed a sensitive spot behind her ear, making her shiver. Then he nipped her earlobe.

She giggled, turned around in his arms. She placed a chaste kiss on Eric's lips the put her hand on his chest and pushed him away a little. "Are you hungry?"

Taken aback, he looked at her questioningly. "What?"

She laughed at the look on his face, then seriously. "Hungry. I need food."

"Cal..."

"I don't want my stomach rumbling while we're making love. It was bad enough that I haven't shaved my legs in a couple of days."

"Yeah, I did notice that, now that you mention it." Eric smiled at her.

"Very funny" she headed towards the hall and next door to her own room. "Besides" she called back over her shoulder "We should try and get hold of Horatio, Make sure they're not trying to get up here." She reappeared in the doorway fastening her robe around her. "I can make pancakes."

Eric groaned. "I can't change your mind, can I?"

As an answer, Calleigh turned and headed down the stairs.

"No. Didn't think so." Eric muttered to himself and grabbed his own robe.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time Eric got downstairs and into the kitchen, Calleigh had pulled the milk and eggs out of the fridge and was rooting around in the cabinets for other ingredients. She reached for the flour but found she couldn't reach so she stretched up on her toes, her fingers still only just brushed the packet. Eric came up behind her, his arm went round her waist as the other reached the flour. As he put it on the counter, he dropped a gentle kiss on her pulse point at the nape of her neck.

She turned and smiled. "Thanks" Gave him a quick peck on the lips, slipped out from between him and the counter and carried on, catching him watching her whilst leaning against the fridge. She smiled shyly and turned back towards the row of cabinets, opening and closing doors, tossing a glance over her shoulder, her smile shifting from shy to seducing. She found the mixing bowl she was searching for and turned back to the counter she'd set the ingredients on and began to measure the flour into the bowl.

Eric tilted his head, studying her. She moved gracefully and with a purpose, her attention focused on the task at hand. As her co-worker, he admired that quality in her. As her lover, He'd come to an even higher appreciation for it. He moved behind her, watching the muscles in her back move as she worked, and when she began to stir, her hips and ass moved, swishing side to side, and without even being able to see the teasing smile on her face, he knew she was very aware of the effect she was having on him.

He reached out, touching her back lightly and with the tip of his index finger, and traced a pattern printed on the silky material of her robe. She felt him; just the slightest touch, moving in small loops and swirls across her shoulders and down her spine.

With his free hand, Eric moved her silky blonde hair off the back of her neck, ran the tip of his tongue against her skin. Calleigh's knee's buckled, and he caught her, wrapping both arms around her waist, pulling her into him. His mouth moved against the tender skin of her neck and the spoon fell into the batter, forgotten. Her fingers found the edge of the counter, she grabbed it, holding onto it like if was her lifeline.

She could feel his arousal through the thin material of their robes, pressed against her hip, and she couldn't decide on what to focus, the growing pressure of him, his mouth on her or the fact that his hands were working on the knot in her belt.

The ties fell to either side, the robe falling open, his hands roamed the bare skin on her stomach, and he teasingly walked his fingers up slowly. Calleigh let her head fall back on his shoulder.

When his hands cupped her breasts, a quiet moan escaped from Calleigh's lips, her tongue darted out, licking her parted lips, and she felt Eric smile against her skin. She turned to face him, her neck and breasts burning from his touch were suddenly cooling in his absence.

She hooked a finger through his robe belt, pulling him to her, her mouth seeking his, landing on their target. Her fingers loosened the knot and she pushed the fabric out of her way, running her hands across his tanned chest. Eric snaked his hands in between them, finding her hips, then ran them across and down to her ass, and pinching it.

Calleigh let out a small squeak and pulled away from him slightly, swatting his arm. Eric laughed throatily, enjoying this new side of Calleigh, and thanking god that he'd been given the chance to witness, and even participate in it.

Taking advantage of the moment, Eric lifted her by the hips, setting her down on the counter. The mixing bowl slid off the edge, rattling on the floor, spilling the mixture everywhere. Ignoring the bowl, Calleigh wrapped her legs around his waist, locking her ankles together at the small of his back.

He moved in to kiss her again, and was shocked when she put a finger to his lips, stopping him. "Can I just...?" Reaching up, She ran her fingers through his hair.

Amused, Eric let her do what she wanted, studying her face as she worked. The intensity and concentration in her emerald green eyes amazed him.

Calleigh's hand left his hair and she traced one finger down his cheek. "Satisfied?" He asked her.

Teasing, She answered, "Not just yet." Her finger moved across his morning stubble, tracing his jaw line, coming to rest on the underside of his chin, and she gently drew his face to hers. Their lips were just an inch apart, each anticipating the feel of the other, when the shrill ring of a cell phone stopped them dead.

"Crap." Eric muttered and dropped his forehead onto her shoulder and inhaled deeply, letting it out through pursed lips.

"That's mine" Calleigh said and gently but reluctantly put a hand on his chest and pushed him away, hopping off the counter. Tying her robe back up, she found her cell phone where she'd left it the evening before and glanced at the screen before answering it. "Hey walter. Hows the hotel you and Horatio stayed at?"

While Calleigh was on the phone, Eric closed his robe and fastened the belt, then found a broom and began cleaning up the spilled ingredients. A few minutes, he was done just in time to hear Calleigh say into the phone "Us? We're... we're good, plenty keeping us busy." He looked over at her and she smirked at him. "Yeah, OK, drive careful." Hanging up, she looked over at Eric, who was leaning back against the counter. "The roads down the mountain have been cleared. They're headed back to Miami."

"How's Walter and H doing?"

Calleigh shrugged. "He sounded a little disappointed, I think he was looking forward to coming here. He'll be fine." She walked over to him, clutching the lapels on his robe. "So... What're you in the mood for?"

"Ah... Actually, breakfast. I've thoughs of Walter an H sharing a hotel room in my head."

Calleigh laughed, she leaned up on her toes, placing a gentle lingering kiss on his lips, then stepping away. "Ok. Pancakes it is."


	4. Chapter 4

"Damn good pancakes, Cal." Eric set down his fork and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his stomach.

Calleigh grinned and a light blush covered her cheeks, as much from the compliment as from the attention. "Thank you, kind sir." She rose and took his empty plate in hand. She started humming on her way to the kitchen over to the sink, immersed in the joy of feeding her lover. She stopped suddenly, the dish slipping out of her hand, clattering in the sink. _My man? _She cocked an eyebrow at her own thought. _Yeah_ she reassured herself, _my man_.

"Everything OK?" Eric was behind her, roused by the noise of the dish rattling in the sink. He took her hand, Examining it for broken skin. "Did you get cut?" Satisfied that she hadn't hurt herself. Eric's eyes left her hand and met hers. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"Yeah. Sure. I'm fine." She had the urge to take her hand away, but fought it, leaving it right where it was, enveloped in between his hands, warm and strong and pulsing with energy she drunk in. She watched, as he lifted her hand, brought it to his lips and kissed her palm.

"Dishes can wait" He said after the light kiss, her hand still in his, still so close to his mouth, she felt his breath on her skin. She shivered as his words rippled down her spine. Misunderstanding the shiver, he let go of her hand, and rubbed her upper arms. "Cold? I know what'll get you warmed up." His hands on her shoulders, he turned her around, and steered her from the kitchen and up the stairs.

She propped herself against the bathroom sink and watch him sit on the edge of that huge tub and lean in to run the water. His robe slipped away just enough for her to take a good long look at his sculptured thigh muscles tightening, holding himself on the the porcelain edge. He glanced up, caught her looking. "Like what you see?"

She smirked at Eric "Definitely." pronouncing her southern drawl. She stood up and looking at him "I'm gonna go make the bed." with that she walked out the bathroom adding an extra sway in her hips, knowing he was watching.

She picked up the discarded pillows from the floor, and remembered flinging them off the bed, getting them out of the way. Underneath one, lay black lace fabric. She picked it up, looking at it. Her panties. The seams were torn, and they hung from her hand barely resembling themselves. Looking past them, her eyes landed on Eric as he watched her from the bathroom doorway. Leaning against the frame, He chuckled. "They were my favorite pair." she looked at his accusingly, her voice light and teasing.

Eric held his hands up, with the best innocent look he could muster, "Hey, don't blame me. I'm not the one who tore them off."

Calleigh blinked."You're trying to tell me I ripped my own panties off."

Eric held his hands up, with the best innocent look he could muster, "Hey, don't blame me. I'm not the one who tore them off."

Calleigh blinked."You're trying to tell me I ripped my own panties off."

"Hey, what can I say?" Eric verbally strutted. "Enough of that" he waved an arm towards the bed, "Waste of time anyway." he waggled a finger at her. "Come here."

The water was warm, the bubbles Eric had added popped, tickling her skin. His stubble was rough against her cheek, as she leaned back into him, resting her back against his chest, and he leaned forward to watch his own hands work the turquoise wash cloth making small circles on her stomach, then up to her breasts.

Calleigh's lips parted, just a little, as she let out a soft moan, and she ran her hands down his thighs, palms slippery against his skin. She felt him stiffen against the small of her back. He abandoned the wash cloth, letting it float away until it sank slowly. Calleigh watched it, feeling very much like the terrycloth square, knowing she too, would take in as much of Eric as she could, until she floated away, only to sink into an oblivion of her own.

His hands moved down to her legs to the inside of her thighs. She bent her knees, bringing them up, allowing him better access, and he ran a teasing finger along her crease. He slid his tongue down the side of her throat. Calleigh rocked against his hand, wanting more of him, wanting all of him that she could take in. He chuckled against her neck, hot breath rushing past her wet skin.

The foreplay in the kitchen, the thought of her ripping her own panties off, the feel of the water from the jets, Eric's fingers buried in her, it didn't take long at all for Calleigh to call out Eric's name over and over in raspy, throaty whispers.

After a moment, her spasms died down, but she could still feel her heartbeat within her core walls, she sat up, his fingers slipping out of her, and she turned, sloshing water on to the floor, facing him, her breasts near his mouth. Eric greedily took one into his mouth, sucking on the nipple, rolling his tongue over it, until she thought she might come again just from his mouth. She reached down, taking him in her hands, he moaned, her breast muffling the sound. He was already hard and she ran a finger down to the tip, Eric's back muscles twitched with restraint. He muttered her name, taking her thighs in his hands, and she lowered herself on to him. He filled her, so deeply, so completely, _this_ she thought to herself _is what has been missing_.

She braces herself, her hands on his shoulders, his hands on her hips, they rocked against each other. Eric moves one hand, rubbing her with his thumb; Calleigh bucks against his hand, and comes again quickly, barely losing her stride. She twists her fingers in his hair, holding the back of his neck, pulling his head to look her in the eye. She licks her lips slowly, his eyes on her mouth. She takes his cue and leans down, runs her tongue along the side of his ear. "So good. Don't. Ever. Stop." She thrust her hips with each word. His breath became harder, wafting against her nech and shoulder, she felt his fingers digging into the flesh of her thighs, she knew he was close, "Come on baby, come for me" She clenches the muscles of her inner walls, grabbing her tighter, moved her hips faster.

"Oh god, so sweet" Eric mumbled, lost in the sensation of her. She picked up the pace even more; until she feels his muscles tighten, and a moment later, he's mumbling her name into her collarbone.

He watched her descend the stairs as he stood at the front door, her coat in his hands. He tossed it to her as she stepped into the hallway.

"Where are we going?"

"For a walk"

"A Walk? You know its freezing out their right?"

He chuckled, "Yeah, Lets go." He held out his hand and she took it, entwining her fingers with his. With his free hand he opened the front door, the rush of frozen air hit them both with a force neither of them were quite prepared for.

They stood in the threshold, staring out into the foreign ice world. Calleigh pulled herself up to Eric, holding her body against his arm; the warth of him seeped into her through her clothing.

He tightened his grip on her hand then released it just as quickly."Come on."

Outside, at the bottom of the front steps, near the hood of their Humber, she breathed deeply, the brittle air smelled sweet and clean, and she let it fill her completely, all thoughts of death and evidence as far away as the city that contained them.

They carefully made their way down a small hill. The small hill gave way to even ground, they found themselves about 3 feet from what would have been the shore, had the lake not been frozen. The silence surrounded them, bundling them up like a comfortable quilt. The vast difference between this haven they'd found and the city they called home was lost on neither of them.

"I never knew there could be so many different shades of white." Calleigh whispered and stepped into Eric's arms, putting her cheek against his chest, she could hear his heartbeat through his thick coat.

His arms wound around her, and he held her to him, the warmth of their bodies combining, melding, shielding off a sudden gust of wind that blew across the back of his neck. He tightened his hold around her, unconsciously protecting her from the cold, and he knew he was in love with her, completely, utterly _hopelessly_ in love with her. Suddenly like a bolt of lightening had lit up his brain, he just knew. "Cal."

"Hmmm" He felt it against his chest more than heard it. Snowflakes glittered in her hair, shiny, winking at him, urging him on.

Eric took a deep breath "I love you."

She stiffened and her breath caught in her throat, he felt her go stiff in his arms. She raised her head to look him in the eye. Her lips parted in a silent gasp, and she blinked away the sudden moisture in her eyes. His heart pounding in his chest, he brought his hands to her cheeks, cupping her face in his hands. He ran his thumbs across her cheek bones, as if he was wiping away tears that weren't there. "Say something, please?"

He was getting really nervous. She looking in his eyes, almost as if she was searching for something, all she found was honesty and sincerity."You mean it?" Eric looked at her "Every word" he reassured. She gave him a shy smile "I love you too" He lowered his head and brought his lips down on hers and kissed her softly.


	5. Chapter 5

The cold had forced them back inside, neither had packed anything warm enough for this much snow. Calleigh had made cocoa for each of them, using her time alone in the kitchen to think about what had just happened, and brought it out to where Eric had settled on the the couch in the games room.

There was an air between them now, a chasm between the declared and the undeclared, an uncomfortableness that had Calleigh walking on a tightrope of trust.

She sat next to him on the couch, his arm automatically going around her shoulders. the only sound in the room was the ticking of the clock on the wall.

"You know I love you too, right?" Calleigh said softly, the cup of hot cocoa warm in her hands, hovering halfway to her lips.  
Eric let out a deep sigh of relief. "Well, I do now." He watched her face drop a little, and immediately sorry he'd said it. He pulled her closer into him and kissed the top of her head.

She nestled into his chest and wondered if this is what love actually was. Not a desperate need for appreciation that had you staying up for three days straight, or a carefully worded, casually uttered barb that only got you a confused glance in return. It's not a decision to be weighed carefully, or a delivered plant that dies in a couple of months. It's this, forgiveness for hastily spoken wrong choice of words, it's a discarding of all logical thought, a pronouncement of itself and damned the consequences.

Yes, she thought to herself as she snuggled impossibly closer and closed her eyes, comforted by the warmth of his body, this is what love is. Just this.

It was hours later when Calleigh opened her eyes again. The cocoa in her hands had long gone cold, Eric's chest beneath her head rose and fell in deep even breaths, and even before she moved gently away from him, she knew he'd fall asleep.

She watched his face, his eyes moved back and forth beneath his eyelids indicating he was dreaming, his lips were slightly parted and he just looked so peaceful. She hated to wake him, but his lips were just so damn inviting.

Putting her lips on his, she tenderly started kissing him, she felt him shudder awake, the shock of being woken didn't last long and he responded, returning the kiss just as gently.

She moved, swinging her right leg over his lap, straddling him, and his hand found her hip, his fingers lightly taping against the denim of her jeans. His hand moved up slightly, finding the edge of her sweater, and his fingers slipped beneath the wool, gently drumming against her skin, intensifying her longing. Her mouth became more animated, deepening the kiss, and he returned the passion, but his fingers somehow kept the gentle, even rhythm, as if there was no urgency in him at all.

Calleigh's shoulders tensed, as his hand made a slow trail towards the button on her jeans, and pushing the fabric off her hips. Those agonisingly slow fingers soon found their way, pushing aside her panties, slipping into her, back and forth through her wetness, and she broke the kiss, gasping, she threw her head back, rocking her hips against his fingers.

She licked her lips, whispering his name over and over, like a hymn, words matching the rhythm of her hips and his fingers. He could barely move his hand, jammed between her legs as it was, but it was just enough, and then his thumb popped up, rubbing against her nub. It was more than Calleigh could take, she needed more than his fingers inside her, and she needed it right now. She stripped herself of her sweater, and gasped when Eric's mouth so quickly found her breast, engulfing it with heat, his tongue flicking against her nipple.

She ran her hands down his chest, and swiftly released him from the confines of his jeans. She stood, breaking the connection between his mouth and her breast, a shiver ran down her spine as his saliva on her nipple met the cool air. She quickly removed her jeans and panties, watching him watch her, his erection growing ever more pronounced. Free from the restriction of her clothes, Calleigh climbed back onto his lap her hands on his shoulders, as she maneuvered her hips just so and felt him slide into her opening. She brought her head back down, resting it on his shoulder as she clutched at him, her fingertips digging into his skin.

Eric's hands found her hips and he rode their tempo as she fucked him, her body crashing into his over and over like waves to the shore, pulling him into her furthest reaches. He let one hand slip down and watched her face as his thumb again found her nub and he liked it when she threw her head back in abandonment, throat muscles moving with words too divine to be said aloud.

"Come for me, Cal" Eric urged as he pushed her further to the edge.


	6. Chapter 6

The clock ticking on the wall was again the only noise in the room, save for the light breathing, heavy sleeping sounds coming from Eric.  
Calleigh was on her stomach, her left arm curled underneath her head. Eric was lying practicallyon top of her, shielding, even in their sleep.  
It was his breath that woke her, Gentle waves of air brushing strands of hair across her cheek, tickling her awake.

She was smiling when she opened her eyes, his weight on her, reassuring her of his presence, soothing her with his very being. She sighed deeply, more deeply, more completely than she ever had in her life, filling her lungs, her blood with fresh air, colored with the musky scent they'd created together.

"Hey" Eric whispered, his lips right next to her ear.

She jerked, startled. "You're gonna have to stop doing that."

He chuckled, more strands of her hair escaped from behind her ear, tickling her cheek as they came to rest. "Sorry." Reluctantly he moved off of her, laying flat on his back on the carpet right behind her. Calleigh moved immediately, turning over, outting her head on his chest, her hand on his stomach and listened to his heartbeat. Then his stomach rumbled.

Grinning, Calleigh lifted her head, resting her chin on his ribs, looking him in the eye, her hand absent mindedly rubbed up and down his arm. "There's left-over spaghetti.

"That's a good idea" He swatted her bare bottom lightly,"I'll get it heated up."

Calleigh grinned mischievously at the coincidence of his words and actions and rolled off him, letting him up, then watched him pad bare foot into the kitchen.

Eric had just started the microwave when he felt Calleigh come up behind him, wearing his sweater and pressing up against his back, she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her chin on his shoulder. He turned his head just a little to meet her eyes. "OK?"

She grinned at him "never better" she said and she meant it.

"Good. Then go set the table" His voice was full of humour.

Calleigh took a sip of wine, watching Eric through the bottom of the glass. Pulling the stemware away from her lips, she let it hang in her hand, resting her elbow on the arm of the dining room chair. She kept watching him, he'd been very quiet throughout their meal, and she now realised, he was using the fork to push the food around his plate more than lift it to his mouth. He stared at the strands of spaghetti forming circles and swirls, and the crease of his brow between his eyes, purposefully avoiding hers, told her there was something on his mind. "What's up, Eric?"

He let the fork slip from his fingers, it clattered to a rest on the ceramic plate. Bringing his hands together, he clasped them, tapping his thumb on his lips.

"I wanted to ask you something, but..." he paused, searching for the right words "But I don't know how... It might be too personal."

"Personal?" The word was full of laughter "You've touched me in the most intimate places, I think we've moved beyond personal." Calleigh smirked.

Something close to a smile flickered across his lips, then was quickly gone. "I was wondering about... your parents." Eric looked up, catching her eyes for just the briefest of seconds before she moved her eyes away from his.

Calleigh set the wine glass gently on the table, then pushed at it's base, the dark velvety wine sloshed around inside the glass, empty threats to spill over. She gazed at the liquid as it settled back down and came to rest into the base of the glass.

Eric sank back into his chair, his hands separated. He struggled with finding the words, and finally to his relief, Calleigh spoke.

"My mother and father are both alcoholics. It wasn't always like that though, I used to spend a lot of time with my dad. They started drinking when I was 12. My mother never wanted to be a mother, She always more of a friend than an authoritive figure. You know a nanny probably would have been a voice of reason in my house. They were always arguing, when they divorced, it was bitter and hostile. I don't have any memories of them when they were not arguing but I was more raising myself cause they were nearly always too drunk to care about what I was up to or if I was OK. When it comes to my dad, it's always disappointment and broken promises, that's how it's always been. I was glad to have left the house when I went to New Orleans, they didn't care. Sometimes they didn't notice I was even there, they never paid me any attention, sometimes I'd leave for a whole day and when I got back, they never knew I even left. It was difficult, but I survived."  
Eric stared at her. Her fingers left the stem of the glass, and she lifted her hand to her face, wiping away the single tear that had escaped the dam she kept inside. He reached out, took her hand in his and squeezed. She looked up at Eric, just to reassure herself he was still there. People always leave but not Eric, never Eric. He had always been there when she needed him and now was no different.

He kissed the back of her hand; a tender placement of lips on skin, to her, it was a gentle reassurance of his presence. To him, it was a reassurance of her presence.

Suddenly, Eric stood, her hand still in his, there hands locked and he waited for a moment, standing next to her chair, while she put the pieces together, understood that he wanted her to go with him. She stood and let him lead her to the next toom, leaving plates of half eaten leftover spaghetti behind them.

Their arms were stretched between them, their hands locked, fingers entwined. And Calleigh thought of their walk outside, just before Eric had declared his love for her. He led her to the stereo, nestled on a shelf between volumes of books. He examined it for a moment, searching for the buttons he needed, and then pushed a button, bringing the stereo to life. He was grateful when he heard the soft jazz coming from the speakers.

He turned to her, holding out his free hand in offering. She took it, his palms were so warm, or maybe her own was cold, she didn't know.  
Eric stepped closer to her, pulling her in to his warmth, and held her closely. She felt her body relax against his, and she rested her head on his shoulder, letting the music swirl around them, in their pseudo dance, as they held tightly to each other.


	7. Chapter 7

Calleigh felt the bed moving, the mattress rolling in waves "Cal, come on Cal, Wake up!" He was kneeling next to her, she could feel him near her lower back, felt the dip in the mattress as he bounced up and down on his haunches.

Calleigh squeezed her eyes shut even tighter and tossed him a dismissive arm "Leave me alone Eric!"

The bed stopped moving. "Eric?" the voice asked. And all at once, Calleigh realised it wasn't Eric Delko on the bed with her.

Her eyes flew open, and she sat up, gathering the covers and pulling them up to her chest. Ryan Wolfe kneeled on the bed beside her, his eyes quickly shifting into the gaze of a man on the verge of learning information for teasing. Calleigh looked around, the eggplant and cream bedroom she'd picked surrounded her. What the hell? Calleigh's fingers pulled her hair back as she tried to figure out what had happened.  
Ryan cocked a grin at her. "Were you dreaming about Eric?"

"Huh?" she looked at him, confused.

Ryan's grin broke out into a full on smile. "You were! You were dreaming about Eric! What'd you two do?" He waggled an eyebrow at her.

"Ah..."

"Hey sleepy head" the subject of their conversation appeared in the doorway. "Up and at 'em girl. Everyone's waiting on you."

"Eric guess what!" Ryan hopped off the bed.

"Ryan! I'll kill you! I mean it." Calleigh's voice was full of promise.

Eric raised his eyebrows, wondering what Ryan was about to tell him, but whatever it was, if it was pissing Calleigh off that much, he didn't want to know.

"Come, Cal, Natalia's made breakfast." Eric waved a beckoning arm and quickly disappeared down the stairs.

"I meant what I said, Ryan." Calleigh warned again and Ryan shot her a worried look before he closed the door on his way out.

Was it possible? Calleigh threw the covers off her legs and hung her feet over the side of the bed. Had she dreamed it all? Eric's nightmare, their night together, the blizzard, she dreamed it? He never called her baby. He never told her he loved her. And she'd never said it to him.

Calleigh put her feet on the floor and padded into the bathroom. Turning the faucet in the sink, she splashed cold water on her face. As she dried off, she stared at her reflection as if the woman in the mirror held the answers to her questions.

_A dream is a wish your heart makes_. Her mothers voice came to her through the years. Back when Calleigh was a very little girl. _A dream is a wish your heart make_s. Maybe that was true. Maybe... Just maybe.

She smiled at her reflection and ran her fingers through her hair.

The heart wants what it wants, she thought to herself as she opened the bedroom door and headed downstairs to make her dreams come true.

**Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story. I hope you all enjoyed it, didn't quite end it how I wanted but wasn't sure how to finish it off. XxXx**


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